The invention relates to a thread gripper for textile threads with flexible pressing of a movable part against a rigid part to hold the thread.
As a rule, such grippers consist of two parts, generally of metal, which press resiliently against one another and which hold the textile thread situated in between as a result of the frictional force produced by the pressure. The pressure is produced as a result of the fact that at least the one part is either a lamination produced from spring steel which is gripped (rivetted, screwed, pushed into a guide gap or the like) in a carrier with initial stress at one of its ends or is a rigid lever which is articulated pivotally on a carrier and is subject to the action of a spring (generally a spiral spring), in which case the counter part may likewise be constructed in the form of a resilient member.
This kind of thread gripper is comparatively expensive to produce. In addition, the thread grippers with the laminations constructed in the form of spiral springs are liable to break. Excited by vibrations of the loom or of the weft needle when used as a yarn holder, the laminations of the thread grippers often tend towards vibrations, as a result of which the holding force of the thread intermittently approaches zero.
A further disadvantage consists in that the contact faces cannot adapt to differences in thickness in the textiel thread, as a result of which this can be exposed to locally severe pressing.
Furthermore, the known thread grippers are relatively heavy, particularly those with the lever as a movable part, so that when they are used in the weft needle, for example, disadvantages result for this (greater inertia, high pressure on the warp threads of the lower shed or on guide elements of the weft needle).